On April 29, 1775, ten days after the Battle of Lexington, the "Articles of Association" were drawn and adopted by the freeman, freeholders and inhabitants of the City and County of New York. If you signed the document, you pledged your life, loyalty and fortune to the Continental Congress and what was to become the Declaration of Independence. Andrew Oliver was a signatory to the earlier document October 20, 1774, and may have been to this one as well - but all I can find in the lists is his son, Richard OLIVER.

He served as the surgeon for the Ulster County regiment of the New York Militia under the command of Colonel Cornelius Wynkoop. He was appointed Judge of County Court in 1800 and was elected the first President of the Medical Society of Ulster County from 1806 through 1809. He had an extensive medical practice. He died on December 13, 1826 at the age of 81

History of Ulster County, New York: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester. Everets & Peck, Philadelphia, 1880.

MARBLETOWN THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE.

The organization of the State government had been commenced at Kingston by the inauguration of George Clinton as Governor, July 30, 1777. The first legislature, with Col. Levi Pawling, of Marbletown, as one of the senators, had met at Kingston, September 9th, and remained in session until October 7th, when they appointed a new Council of Safety and adjourned, the British having been successful at Fort Montgomery and an invasion of Kingston being deemed probable.

The Council of Safety were thus, ad interim, the real executive authority of the State, Governor Clinton being in the field with the Continental forces. At the burning of Kingston the Council of Safety fled to Marbletown, and on the 19th of October, three days after the invasion, they commenced their sessions at the house of Andrew Oliver. Here they remained for one month, issuing orders and providing for all the exigencies of public affairs. November 18th they removed to Hurley, and met at the house of Captain Jan Van Deusen until December 17th, when they adjourned to Poughkeepsie.

It remains to identify "the house of Andrew Oliver's" and determine its site. He was from Ireland, and settled in Marbletown perhaps as early as 1740. His homestead was the present place of Cornelius Oliver, a great-grandson, and the house in which the Committee of Safety met stood between the present dwelling and the barns belonging to the place. There is no evidence that Andrew Oliver kept a tavern, and the committee may have boarded at the old Davis tavern, near y opposite. The house of Andrew Oliver was taken down some years later than 1800 and the present spacious mansion erected.

On a map of the Oliver farm drawn in 1795 and in possession of Cornelius Oliver there is a rough drawing of the old house where the committee met. It was a two story stone building. In the front the upper row of windows consisted of six, and in the lower row five, with the door, made a corresponding number, and this was the capitol pro tem of the Empire State.

Andrew Oliver had two sons, Richard and James. Richard settled in Hurley, on the place lately owned by Wm. P. Cole, deceased. James remained in Marbletown on the old homestead, and was a well-known physician for many years. He left one son, Matthew. The sons of Matthew were James, a physician, and Cornelius, both residing in Marbletown (the latter up on the old homestead of Revolutionary times); another son was Richard, who resides in Sullivan County. The daughters of Andrew Oliver were Mrs. Stephen Nottingham, Mrs. Brodhcad , and a third, who remained unmarried. Matthew had one sister, who married John Miller, and settled in Montgomery, Orange Co.

The place where the public business of the Marbletown patent was transacted, and the annual meetings of the inhabitant s held, for thirty or forty years before the Revolution, is another point of considerable interest. The records show these meetings to have been " at the house of Janitie Davis," " at the house of Widow Davis," and at " the house of Frederick Davis." These different expressions undoubtedly refer to the same house, and extend over the period 1730 to 1770. It is probable the meetings during the Revolution were held at the same point, and continued to be, until some time later than 1800, when they were removed to the house of Isaac Bloom. The traditions among the Davis families of the present time, corroborated by those of the Oliver families, appear to settle the location of this house beyond a doubt. It was on the other side of the road, nearly opposite the house of Andrew Oliver. The Davis house is still standing, and occupied by Leonard Adams. It is evidently a building of great age. Its crumbling walls, low doorway s, and general antique appearance all point back to the days of early settlement. 'We have no means of determining when it was built; but this immediate neighborhood is the Marbletown of early colonial days. The commissioner who reported in 1669 that he had named the "new village" Hurley also stated that he had assisted in forming another settlement beyond.

Not far away, too, is the old burial-place, where very early dates are found, 1692, 1693, 1699, and numerous enough to indicate quite a population. It is not too much to suppose that the public business of the town was transacted at this house for one hundred years or more; that the house was standing at least seventy-five years before the Revolution, thirty years before George Washington was born.

OLIVER FAMILY OF MARBLETOWN , NEW YORK SERVICE DURING THE

REVOLUTIONARY WAR Andrew Oliver was born in Armagh County, Northern Ireland. He was educated as a surveyor. In 1738, he emigrated to the American continent with three brothers. Andrew settled in Marbletown, Thomas in Orange County( NY), the third brother in Pennsylvania and the youngest in Cuba or South America. He married Ann Brodhead in 1739 and built a home in North Marbletown neart he Dutch Reformed Church. On April 29, 1775, ten days after the Battle of Lexington, the "Articles of Association" were drawn and adopted by the freeman, freeholders and inhabitants of the City and County of New York. If you signed the document, you pledged your life, loyalty and fortune to the Continental Congress and what was to become the Declaration of Independence. Andrew Oliver was a signer. In 1777, the Capitol was moved from New York to Kingston. In October of that year, the British sent an expedition under the command of Major General John Vaughn to sail up the Hudson River with the intention of destroying the new Capitol. On October 16, 1777 the Town of Kingston was burned to the ground. The Council of Safety was formed by the Continental Congress in 1775 with the power to examine suspected persons, make resolutions and recommendations, comply with requisitions made by the Generals of the Continental Army, superintend Military

affairs, appropriate money and order a sessions of Congress during times of emergency. The Council was in session in Kingston at "The Tavern of Coenrandt

Elmendorf" on October 15, 1777 when it was discovered that thirty British

ships were a few miles away on the Hudson River. The meeting was moved to Andrew Oliver's residence in Marbletown and subsequent meetings were held during the period from October 19 through November 14, 1777. Members of theCouncil

included John Jay, De Witt Clinton, and Christopher Tappen. In the summer of

1777 General John Burgoyne led his Army down the Champlain – Hudson River to

attack Albany and split the Colonies in two. On September 19,1777 he encountered

the American forces at Saratoga. After two fierce battles, General Burgoyne

surrendered his entire Army to General Horatio Gates. Dr. James Oliver, son

of Andrew, served as the surgeon for the Ulster County regiment of the New York

Militia under the command of Colonel Cornelius Wynkoop. Andrew Oliver was killed

in the winter of 1777. Dr. James Oliver was appointed Judge of County Court in

1800 and was elected the first President of the Medical Society of Ulster

County from 1806 through 1809. He had an extensive medical practice. Dr. Oliver

died on December 13, 1826 at the age of 81. Bruce Winne

Untitled - Forgotten Books  Appendix Giving Additional Information Concerning the Revolutionary Period p. 154

T H E OLIVER FAMILY.

This sketch of the Oliver family is inserted by the author out of consideration for the assistance rendered in the work by his wife. The Oliver family always resided in Marbletown, not in New Paltz. The first Oliver in Ulster county of whom mention is made in historical records, is Samuel, who was a sergeant in the company of English soldiers, under Capt. Daniel Brodhead, stationed at Kingston, when the province of New York was captured from the Dutch by the English. He was assigned bounty land with others of the company, at Marbletown, in 1670, but left no descendant s in the county and probably did not remain here.

The ancestor of the Oliver family in Ulster county was Andrew Oliver, who emigrated with his three brothers from county Armagh, in the north of Ireland, about 1738. One of the brothers settled in Pennsylvania, one (Thomas) in Orange County and one in Cuba or South America.

Andrew Oliver, who located at Marbletown, was a surveyor and a man of education. He probably built the house, still standing on the west side of the highway, a few rods from the residence of his great-great-grandson, John Oliver. Andrew Oliver's wife was Anna, daughter Of Daniel Brodhead, of Marbletown. The record of the marriage on the church book at Kingston by Dominie Mancius states that it took place in 1 739 and was performed on presentation of a license from Lieut.-Gov. Clark. The births of children are recorded on the church book at Kingston as follows: Mary, 1740; Jane, 1 743 James, 1745; Elizabeth, 1747; Anne, 1750. There was another son, Richard, whose baptism is not set down in the Kingston church book and must have been per formed elsewhere. The names of Andrew Oliver and his son Richard appear as signers of the Articles of Association.

The names of Andrew Oliver and his son Richard appear as signers of the Articles of Association. For one month after the burning of Kingston by the British during the Revolutionary War, the home of Andrew Oliver was the place of meeting of the Council of Safety, the meetings commencing there Oct. 1 9th, 1 77 7 , three days after Kingston had been destroyed. The meetings of the Council were held in a house since torn down, just north of the present residence of John Oliver.

Andrew Oliver’s son Richard settled in Hurley and married Catharine Cole. They left no son and but one daughter, Maria, who became the wife of Jacobus Hardenbergh. Several of Andrew Oliver’ s daughters married, but the Kingston church records only contain the marriage of the … p 156

They left but one son, Matthew, born in 1780, and one daughter, Ann , who became the wife of John Miller of Montgomery. Dr. Oliver was a man of much skill as a surgeon and would ride to Delaware Co. and other places, at a long distance in the performance of his professional duties. A story is related that a company of Highland Scotch had settled in the vicinity ( probably in Delaware county) , and one of the number needed a surgeon’s attention, but when Dr. Oliver, who was called in, took out his sharp instrument s to commence work, the rough clansmen thought he meditated injury to their comrade and drew their swords, but after the opera tion was success fully per formed they were extremely grateful. It was the custom of those days for young men, who were l earning medicine, to reside with some old doctor and Dr. Richard Elting, of New Paltz ( afterward of Rondout ) , Dr. Nathaniel Deyo, of New Paltz (father of Alfred Deyo ) , Dr. Henry Van Hovenberg of Kingston and Dr . Benjamin Bevier of Wawarsing resided for a time with him. Besides his business as physician and surgeon Dr. Oliver was an extensive owner of real estate. He died in 1826 at the age of eighty One years.

His only son, Matthew, married Jane, daughter of Cornelius Elting, Of Hurley, who had moved from New Paltz to that town. They resided in a stone house since torn down, occupying the site where Garret N. Oliver’ s present residence stands.

In the War of 1812 he served as paymaster. He was an extensive farmer, was for a long period Supervisor of the town and was a member of assembly in 1830. He died in 1865. He left a family of three sons, James, Cornelius and Richard and likewise three daughters, named Ann , Esther and Margaret, who became the wives, respectively of DuBois Hasbrouck of Marbletown, Medad T. Morss of Woodbourne and Wm. Cole of Hurley.

James the Oldest son became a doctor and for sixty years practiced his profession at Marbletown, where he likewise cultivated a large farm. His wife was Gitty Cole, daughter Of Cornelius C. Cole of High Falls .

Cornelius Olive r son of Matthew, occupied during a long lifetime the house built by his grandfather Dr. James Oliver, and cultivated the farm which had been so long in the family. His wife was Sarah C. Crispel l of Hurley. Richard, the youngest son, located at Woodbourne, Sullivan county. He was twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Jackson of Montgomery, his second wife was Mary Waring.

1816 House of Dr. James OLIVER Marbletown

http:

upstater.com/marbletowns-historic-james-oliver-house-market-949000/

This c.1816 stone house is a stunningly preserved piece of post-Revolutionary War history. The house, built by Dr. James Oliver, is located in Ulster County, an area considered to have radical leanings and was represented by the Patriots of the Revolution, who took an oath to die rather than submit to the British. The property represents the forward-thinking optimism, as well as the expectation of economic prosperity of the post-Revolutionary period, as was built to sustain a physician’s practice, commercial farming, and logging enterprise. The James Oliver House served its occupants well during those heady post-Revolutionary War years; in fact, the occupant’s descendants still live on a neighboring property. These days, the property is on the market and suitable for more modern endeavors both creative and practical. The potential is also here for transforming the property into a small, working farm, an investment property/time share, or group-owned house.

Situated on nearly six acres of land, this Colonial Federal farmhouse features original features galore, such as chestnut rough-hewn beams, Dutch doors, plank board flooring, and strap hinges and hardware. The details, however, are updated for modern comfort and include an updated kitchen with Viking commercial stove, radiant heat, and Bosch refrigerator. Lots of large windows bathe the interior with natural light, and three working fireplaces (potential for seven working fireplaces and wood stoves) and a wood stove will keep things toasty in the winter. With over 6,000 square feet of living space, six bedrooms, and four full baths, there’s plenty of room to spread out with a large family, or, continue its usage as a successful vacation rental currently enjoying plenty of popularity on Airbnb. The third floor attic has been transformed into an expansive loft with gleaming wood floors and vaulted ceilings.

History buffs will love the additional buildings on the property, including a stone smokehouse, converted chicken coop with electric, wood sheds, and an historic Dutch vernacular barn with loft and stables that offers loads of potential in the form of a 4000 square feet of space. Old-fashioned rural charm is dripping from this property, all situated under two hours from NYC, less than ten minutes from both Kingston and Rosendale, and two miles from historic Stone Ridge hamlet.

For more information on 2911 Route 209, Marbletown and other remarkable properties in the Hudson Valley, contact Kathleen Maxwell, Westwood Metes & Bounds, at (845) 679-7321 x124 (office), (845) 430-1054 (cell), or kathy@westwoodrealty.com.